Endless mop belt type floor mopping machine



Patented July 1, 1952 ENDLESS MOP BELT TYPE FLOOR MOPPING MACHINE John N. Geor gas, Gorsicana, Tex.

. Application October 11, 1946, Serial No. 702,672

1 Claim. 1

The invention relates to. a power driven floor moppin and polishing device.

An object of the invention is to provide a mopping machine in which the endless mopping element is designed to effect positive cleaning or polishing of the floor.

A further object is to provide a mopping machine wherein the endless mopping element is supplied with driving elements so positioned on the machine that the mopping element moves smoothly around its rollers and does not jerk or hang.

A still further object is to provide a mopping machine designed so that the operator may regulate the amount of friction, or force exerted, against the surface being cleaned.

With these objects in view, other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawing wherein the drawing is a diagrammatic view of the device with the main casing and tank shown in section, the mop rollers being arranged coaxially with the drive pulleys in the manner illustrated at the front upper pulley.

The machine is shown as enclosed in a housing 2 with a handle 3 projecting upwardly therefrom. A liquid container 4 is mounted therein and carries liquid 5 through which the endless mopping belt 1 passes. A roller 8, preferably made of non-floatable material, i immersed in the liquid to take up slack existing in the belt 1. A frame 9 extending longitudinally of the roller has brushes in mounted thereon to remove dirt and other particles from the belt 1 as it passes through the solution 5.

A series of rollers 6 driven by belt ll mounted at the forward end of the housing, serve as driving contact members for presenting a portion of the mopping belt, designated as the surface 20, to the surface being cleaned. It is to be noted that all five of the rollers adjacent the surface 20 are driven by the belt I I. This arrangement supplies driving action to the belt over the total length of the contact surface 20 thereby tending to prevent stalling or binding of the belt as it contacts the surface being cleaned. The number of rollers B may be increased so as to present a larger surface 20, or they may be decreased in numbers, thereby decreasing the surface area 20.

A power unit l3 mounted rearwardly of the liquid container is attached through speed reducer M to endless driving belt l5. V-notch pulleys I6 mounted near the upper portion of the "liquid container and outside thereof, and similar pulley 16 mounted adjacent the series of rollers 6 serve as drive members for the rollers 2| upon which the endless belt 1 moves. By this arrangement, the endles mopping belt 1 is driven at more than one point throughout its length which gives a smoother driving motion to the belt and prevents it from jerking or becoming stalled.

Wheels I8 mounted on the container 4 are used to regulate the amount of frictional contact between the belt surface 20 and the surface being cleaned immediately therebeneath by pivoting the machine on this roller as an axis. Wheels [8 may also serve as a means to move the mopping machine from one location to another by tilting the handle 3 rearwardly so a to lift the surface 28 of the belt I off the surface bein cleaned.

Roller 22 adjacent the rear upper roller 2! is mounted on an arm 24, such arm being pivoted at 23 to the container l, and extending through a slot (not shown) in the rear portion of the housing. A foot pedal 25 mounted on the exposed portion of arm 24 is arranged to engage toothed member 26 so that roller 22 may be positioned inwardly against the belt I and correspondin roller 2| to wring, or extrude, excess liquid from belt I. It is to be noted that the path of the belt I is such that any excess squeezed from the belt falls back into container 4. The operator may therefore regulate the amount of liquid removed from the belt 1, depending upon the type surface being cleaned and the type of cleaning and polishing solution being used.

A pipe 28 connected at 29 in the bottom of the container 4 extends upwardly through the pump (not shown) driven by motor l3, and up through the handle 3 to a liquid supply source (not shown). A drain plug 30, in the elbow 3! of the pipe 28 is also provided and may be used to drain the contents 5 from the container 4. It seems obvious that pipe 28 in conjunction with the pump may serve to fill container 4.

A cover plate 32 secured on the top of the housing 2 by suitable means such as bolts 33 provides access to the interior of the device for filling container 4 or for making minor adjustments on the device.

In operation of the device embodying the invention, the operator fills container 4, either by removal of cover plate 32, or by pipe 28 and the pump. The motor is then disengaged from the pump, and the operator moves handle 3 forward slightly so as to contact the surface 28 of the belt with the surface being cleaned. The operator may vary the frictional contact of the belt with the surface being cleaned by pivoting the machine on the wheels I8.

Broadly the invention contemplates a mopping machine wherein a constant pull is exerted on the mopping belt at spaced intervals so as to efi'ect a smooth travelling motion of the continuous belt in combination with a machine 5 wherein the friction of the belt with the surface being cleaned may be regulated as desired by the operator.

The invention claimed is:

A floorwashing and drying device comprising, 10

a housing, a handle thereon, a liquid container mounted therein, an endless belt mop including" an upper run for passing through the container-"c2.

to contact the liquid, a forward run travelling be-E' tween the housing and container, a bottom runto 11 travel along the floor and a rear run'to'travel between the housing and the container;- a slackw.

take-up roller immersed in the liquid container for bearing against the upper run of said endless belt, a series of rollers with an endless belt there- 20 onmounted' beneath the container for the b0t-'= tom run of belt to'pass beneath as it contacts the floor, a wheel rearward of said series of rollers mounted on-said-housing approximately midway between thefront and rear runof said mop so 25 that-the device is tiltable about said roller there byregulating the pressure exerted by the bottom run'of'said'belt against the floor, a motor'mounted in said housing, a plurality-of mop belt rollers disposed-to 'rollably support said upper, forward, O"

2 extending to the exterior of said housing and adjustable by the foot of the operator to move said squeeze-memben into compressive engagement with said portion whereby to squeeze excess liquid therefrom.

JOHN N. GEORGAS.

REFERENCES CITED The" following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,489,955 Madriss Apr; 8, 1924 1,522,133 r Labiga .Jan. 6, 1925. 1,941,690 Janchan Jane2, 1934- 1,96-3;1-39- Mattoon' June-19, 1934 2,153,686- Deegan Apr-.1 11, 1939 2,268,073 Hunn; Dec; 30,1941, 2,330,203- Fay; Sept;-28,-.1943- 

